Earth's Last Hope
by DarkFireAngel2
Summary: While Gohan is still recovering from his fight with Cell the others suddenly notice something strange is wrong with him. First Gohan’s tail grows back and then he gets suddenly sick, and is only getting sicker.


Title: Earth's Last Hope Arthur: Dark Suicide Angel Fandom: Dragon Ball Z Pairings: Goku/Vejita, Bulma/ChiChi Gohan/? Ratings: This is a Pg-13 story but, it won't stay that way forever. Angst, Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort Arthur's Website: None, Sry Status: This is story is still in progress, this is part 1, Archive: Sure! But you have to ask me first and drop me a line when you do it! E-mail Address: RedFire15@aol.com Series/Sequel: There might be if I ever finish this story! Disclaimer: All these lovely characters are © of Anime, therefore they are not mine = (I wish they were though.Oh well! On with the story. Warnings: Just so you know I made some adjustments to the timeframe. This is set about two weeks after cell is defeated. Goku is still alive and didn't go away to the Other World Tournament. And Gohan is thirteen. Also Gotan and Trunks aren't in the story either. They aren't even born. I decided I wanted this to be about Gohan only. Also I've made up some reason why Dende didn't heal Gohan so he's healing the old fashioned way! Alternate Universe. Enough warnings on with the story! Summery: While Gohan is still recovering from his fight with Cell the others suddenly notice something strange is wrong with him. First Gohan's tail grows back and then he gets suddenly sick, and is only getting sicker. Then an invader from another planet with an incredible power, even greater than Cell's, is sent to Earth to challenge Gohan's powers. And if Gohan loses this mysterious person will destroy the entire universe. Will all Earth's forces be able to defeat this mysterious, yet powerful new invader from destroying the entire universe? Stay Tuned!  
  
  
  
Part 1 This was a strange twist. Irony if you would think of it like that. Never knowing when something or someone was going to strike next. And then finding out that something so insignificant, so small, could cause so much trouble and chaos. But, that was the routine, for the Z fighters. They always had to be prepared, on their guard, against anything that threatened the Earth or in fact the universe for that matter. That's why they were so unprepared for the inevitable. They had been prepared for years, against the fight with Cell. And they had defeated him. They had fought long and hard. Gohan especially. And now they were helpless. They couldn't do anything but watch helpless as Gohan's life slipped away.  
  
It all started when he had gotten sick.  
  
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"Argh.Dad!!!" Goku jumped up at the shrill sound of his name being called. He quickly sat up in his bed and ran to where the sound was coming from. Stumbling out of bed he quickly ran into the hall and searched for where the scream had come from. "Dad.Please come back.Please, Dad!!" the half whispered, half yelled voice called for him once again and it finally dawned on him, -it was Gohan. Quickly turning to his right he ran down the long passage and into Gohan's room. At first you would never notice anything was wrong. The room of the thirteen-year-old that occupied it was strangely clean for such a boy.  
  
To the left of the room was a desk with a lap and a stack of books on it, a large bookcase, closet, a large window, partly open, and other various objects. Finally looking to the right, he looked at the figure in distress. The boy was tangled up in the sheets, curled up in a ball, a look of fear on his usual peaceful face. Quickly running over to his son, he wrapped the boy up in his big, strong arms, sitting up on the bed.  
  
"Shh, Gohan, take it easy.it's a nightmare, wake up! You're alright" Goku soothed. Almost as soon as the words left his mouth he was met with a struggling Gohan trying to get out of his grip. He quickly tightened his hold to hold Gohan gently but firmly. If he kept this up he was gonna end hurting himself. "Gohan please open your eyes," he said quietly.  
  
"Noooooo" he winced at the pained expression on his sons face. "-lease dad d-don't g-g-g-go, help me, stay with me." Gohan whimpered. There were tears streaming down his face. "Don't let them take me away!" Suddenly Gohan's eyes shot open and Goku looked down at Gohan's dilated pupils. His breathing was labored; he was close to hyperventilating.  
  
Gently Goku rubbed small circles over the quivering and shaking back. "Calm down Gohan, it was just a dream. Breathe for me alright? If you keep this up you're going to pass out." He slowly picked up the boy in his arms and placed him on his lap, so his head was resting on his chest. He then proceeded to half lay; half sit up on Gohan's bed. Gohan's bed was way too small for him, but he was still comfortable enough. He could feel Gohan trying to calm his breathing, but he could still feel the body in his arms trembling. He rubbed his hands over Gohan's hair and back, whispering words of encouragement and comfort. "That's it Gohan, breathe for me, calm down. You're alright, look around you, you're in your room, no one's gonna hurt you, that's it you can do it." He finally felt some tension and stress from the nightmare fade away from the weary body before him, but Gohan was still on his guard. Goku inwardly sighed. This was the fifth time this week that he had had to get up because Gohan was having a nightmare. He could understand if it had been about Cell, after all it had barely been a week since his great victory over Cell. But, the things he was saying just didn't make sense. Oh Kami, he had to find out what was wrong with Gohan soon. But, Gohan didn't say anything about it at all. It had been going on for over almost a week now and he was desperate. He suddenly wished Chichi was here-she might be able to help at least. Ever since the ox king had broken his leg, trying to climb an apple tree, she had been at his bedside. It happened just two days after the battle of Cell and Gohan had just started recovering. Chichi couldn't bear leaving her son after he had been so close to death's door but she had to look after her father. He lived all alone and couldn't help himself. And he was just too big for them to move to their home, so with deep remorse she tore herself from her son's bedside and with a quick promise to be back soon she was off.  
  
Hearing someone clear their throat behind him he looked up and smiled sadly at the green being in front of him. He had so deep in his thoughts he didn't notice that Piccolo had come in. Piccolo had been staying with them since the end of the fight. Chichi had finally approved of him and had let him stay while he also recovered--besides Gohan seemed to enjoy having him there. It was so strange that he hadn't noticed the others' ki. He was more concerned about Gohan than he had realized. Finally realizing that he had forgotten all about the boy he looked down. Gohan was curled up into his stomach, his tiny hands clutching the front of his shirt-as if afraid he would be ripped from his fathers' embrace. His eyes were halfway open, the bags under his eyes showing his exhaustion. Gohan never talked after one of his "episodes."  
  
Goku looked up and frowned at Piccolo. Piccolo looked down the same expression as his on his face. They both sighed and looked back at the boy in his arms. "Gohan, why don't you have go back to sleep, your dad and I will be here with you." Piccolo's voice was unusually soft compared to his usual gruff sounding voice. He walked over to the bed on squatted down on his knees so he and Gohan were at the same eye level.  
  
He felt Gohan shake his head against his chest and tighten his hold. He looked down and felt his heart stop. Gohan was looking up at him with a blank stare. He blinked owlishly up at him. Before his eyes slipped shut and he sighed-Goku didn't know if it was of happiness or discomfort, but whatever it was it shifted to severe discomfort. He suddenly groaned started thrashing around in Goku's arms. This was new.  
  
"Gohan! Stop it!" But, Gohan was beyond understanding. It wasn't hard though to hold Gohan in his arms-the fight had completely drained his energy, but suddenly Gohan bit into his arm and with a curse his hold on Gohan slackened giving him the perfect escape route. He got up to run after Gohan, but stopped suddenly when he looked up and saw that Piccolo was holding on to Gohan's wrists. Piccolo, thankfully, was a quicker healer than the rest of them so; he didn't have a problem holding Gohan, even though the boy's energy was almost gone. It wasn't helping the boy either to be moving around so much, he really should be sleeping.  
  
"Gohan stop" Piccolo said calmly, it pained him to see the child like this. And his eyes. Pain, fear, exhaustion, anger, helplessness. If Gohan didn't stop soon he was gonna have an emotional and physical breakdown. Whatever consumed his dreams were really taking a toll on the young teenager. He tried again, "Gohan if you don't calm down you're gonna-"he didn't get to finish his sentence however when Gohan's eyes suddenly rolled to the back of his head and he slumped against the man before him.  
  
"Pass out." Piccolo finished softly. He sighed once again and picked up the boy leaning on him. For once, in months, Gohan looked peaceful. Goku who had been watching from the bed, smiled sadly as Gohan was placed back into his arms. He scooted over and let the warm green body snuggle against him, Gohan in the middle. What a strange picture they must look. Two grown men, one green with pointed ears, arms wrapped around each other, with a boy-too small for his age-curled up against him. Gohan was curled around each one; his whole body was pressed tightly against Goku's, unconsciously seeking his fathers arms, Goku complied, confused to what Gohan wanted. He blushed a deep scarlet however when he felt Gohan press his hands onto his crotch while moving around to wrap his arms around his son's small waist. Gohan sighed contentedly as he felt his father's arms around him. For some reason unbeknownst to any of them he pushed back into his father's back, pressing his ass onto his crotch. He could practically feel Piccolo's smile on him. He looked up and glared at the man in front of him. However his frown turned into a smile when he felt Gohan shift from next to him. He looked in amazement as Gohan threw his leg over Piccolo's entire body, so that he was practically on top of the other man. He hugged the long leg between his thighs and sighed contently. If you've never seen a nemekian blush, you should-- it's quite a picture. Both smiling they settled down to sleep, knowing that it wouldn't last very long.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do you want something to drink?"  
  
A shake of the head  
  
"Anything to eat?"  
  
A mouthed 'no'.  
  
"Do you want anything at all?"  
  
This time nothing.  
  
"Won't you just open up for a little?"  
  
This time the owner of the body turned onto its side, wrapping his small arms around his knees. Goku sighed, putting down the spoon that was still occupied with chicken soup. He couldn't get the boy to eat anything, and it was really showing. The once lean and muscular, young man before him was slipping away. And a sickly, fragile, young thing was taking his place. Skin pale and hands weak. He didn't know what to do anymore; he just wished that his Gohan would get better. He, in the first time in his life, was scared-terrified to be exact. Gohan was slipping away and pretty soon there wouldn't be anything left of the young fighter.  
  
Shit! This negative thinking wasn't getting him anywhere. He had to find out what was wrong with Gohan now. The only one who would have any answers for him was King Kai. Gathering his resolve he cast one last look at his sons' now peaceful face and prepared to teleport to the Kings planet.  
  
However, something caught the corner of his eye. Gasping went underneath his sons blanket and pulled back a long, hairy tail. 'WHA? HUH? HOW?' All these questions ran through his head as tried to figure out how in the world Gohans' tail grew back. Maybe King Kai knew. Recovering quickly, he replaced the blanket that had fallen off Gohan's shoulder and teleported to King Kai's.  
  
Little did he know that someone had been watching the two of them and that he had just made the worst mistake ever. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
So how did you like it? Please write to me so I can find out. 


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